Using a new imaging technique, University of Melbourne researchers have discovered the immune cells protecting the cornea are T cells, not dendritic (or Langerhans) cells, as was previously thought.
墨尔本大学的研究人员使用一种新的成像技术发现，保护角膜的免疫细胞是T细胞，而不是以前认为的树突状（或朗格汉斯）细胞。
Led by Associate Professor Laura Downie, Dr Holly Chinnery and Professor Scott Mueller, the research team used a non-invasive imaging approach they termed ‘functional in vivo confocal microscopy’ (Fun-IVCM), to observe T cells moving around quickly and interacting with other cells and nerves in the outermost layer of the cornea. “We also captured different cell dynamics in response to contact lens wear and in allergic eye disease and quantified how these behaviours are modulated by drug treatments,” said A/Prof Downie.
由Laura Downie副教授，Holly Chinnery博士和Scott Mueller教授领导的研究小组使用了一种非侵入性成像方法，他们称之为“功能性体内共聚焦显微镜”（Fun-IVCM），观察T细胞快速移动并与角膜最外层的其他细胞和神经相互作用。“我们还捕获了不同的细胞动力学，以响应隐形眼镜佩戴和过敏性眼病，并量化了药物治疗如何调节这些行为，”A / Prof Downie说。
The currently accepted model of the principal immune cell subsets in the healthy human cornea, involving ‘mature’ and ‘immature’ dendritic cells in the epithelium (as imaged using traditional static in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and macrophages in the stroma). [ii] A proposed role for adaptive immune cells (T cells) in homeostatic human corneal immune surveillance. Credit: University of Melbourne
目前公认的健康人角膜中主要免疫细胞亚群的模型，涉及上皮中的“成熟”和“未成熟”树突状细胞（使用传统的静态体内共聚焦显微镜（IVCM）和基质中的巨噬细胞成像）。[ii] 适应性免疫细胞（T细胞）在稳态人角膜免疫监测中的作用。学分：墨尔本大学
Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, authors said Fun-IVCM allows researchers to study the interface between nerves and immune cells in an intact peripheral sensory tissue, allowing them to assess how exogenous factors and disease may disrupt the perception, integration and responsiveness of cell subtypes to different challenges. “These findings reshape our understanding of the distinct immune cell subsets in the human cornea and how they respond to different stimuli,” said A/Prof Downie.
作者在《美国国家科学院院刊》上写道，Fun-IVCM允许研究人员研究完整的外周感觉组织中神经和免疫细胞之间的界面，使他们能够评估外源性因素和疾病如何破坏细胞亚型对不同挑战的感知，整合和反应。“这些发现重塑了我们对人类角膜中不同免疫细胞亚群的理解，以及它们如何对不同的刺激做出反应，”A/Prof Downie说。
